Ep. 005 – Armin Vit: The Voice Behind Brand New on Risk, Critique & Creative Discipline

Armin Vit is the sharp voice behind Brand New, one of the most widely read blogs on corporate and brand identity redesigns. As co-founder of UnderConsideration, alongside his wife Bryony, he’s spent the last two decades shaping how designers talk about design through writing, conferences, and community-building. Now, with their newest venture In-house In-focus, they’re spotlighting the often-overlooked work of in-house creative teams.In this episode, Brad and Dustin go beyond the critiques and keynotes to explore the real Armin: the former “lazy” student who learned to bet on himself, the introvert who cold-emailed Paula Scher, and the guy who applies design thinking to his grocery cart like it’s a case study.You’ll hear about:Why being willing to sound like a “jerk” helped him build a name in designHow risk (and rejection) fueled his creative breakthroughsThe power of structure, systems, and showing up (even without “natural talent”)Why in-house designers deserve the spotlightIf you’ve ever felt the tension between staying safe and standing out, or wondered what it really takes to build a voice in the creative industry, this is the inside story.Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREEClick here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email seriesNote: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.Brad WoodardBrad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.View Brave the WoodsDustin LeeDustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.View RetroSupplyCreditsAudio/video editing: Clara Wright Cover art: Brad WoodardIntro animation: Seth AustinIntro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström